BARRHEAD - The Barrhead Community Volunteer Appreciation Planning Committee will have a little more money to host its annual event celebrating volunteers following a decision by County of Barrhead councillors in mid-April.
On Feb. 20, council unanimously approved a Community Grant Policy application for $1,250.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said the municipality has contributed $1,250 towards the event in some fashion for the last seven years, adding before 2021, it had been a regular operating budget line item,
She added that administration recommended approving the application, as it checked all the appropriate boxes.
The Community Grant Policy has been in place since February 2021. It allows eligible community organizations to receive up to $2,500 in funding for a project or event that benefits county residents.
The program is capped at $15,000 annually, with funding from the recreation organizational reserve.
With the Barrhead Community Volunteer Appreciation Planning Committee's approval, $8,750 remains in the fund.
To be eligible for a community grant, groups must be a registered non-profit society, charitable organization, volunteer group or service club that provides services within or that are readily accessible to county residents. Groups must also be in good standing with the municipality and can demonstrate the grant will be used for a project, service, structure or event and must contribute at least 50 per cent of the through cash-on-hand or support-in-kind.
The later Oyarzun said the committee easily met, adding the applicant is providing 81 per cent of the event's $6,500 budget.
This year's event takes place on April 17 at Bethel Pentecostal Church. The deadline to nominate individuals or groups for one of the Barrhead Community Volunteer Awards is March 17. People can nominate their choice online via the Barrhead Public Library's website for the Make a Difference award for a group or organization that has made an outstanding contribution and is active in the community; the youth award is given to a volunteer under 24 years old who has shown an extraordinary commitment to volunteerism; the Long-Standing Service award, for an individual who has shown a long-term commitment to volunteerism; and the Rosemary Empey volunteer of the year.
People can also print out their own nomination form and e-mail their nominees to the library at [email protected].
Nomination forms can also be dropped off at Barrhead and District Family Community Support Services, the County of Barrhead municipal office and the aforementioned Barrhead Public Library.
